Uber’s Drone Delivery Bet: 1 Million Daily Trips by 2029

Ambitious commitments by DoorDash and now Uber could reshape low-altitude airspace.

Jack Daleo

Monday, August 17, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Uber and Zipline are the latest drone delivery partners seeking to scale operations nationwide. [Credit: Zipline]

Key Takeaways:

Major delivery platforms including Uber, Walmart, Amazon, and DoorDash are rapidly expanding drone delivery services to significantly reduce trip times and reshape low-altitude U.S. airspace.
Uber has partnered with and strategically invested in Zipline, aiming for 1 million daily drone deliveries by 2029 through the Uber Eats app, starting this year in cities like Dallas and Houston, promising 5-10 minute delivery times.
The drone delivery market is highly competitive, with Zipline's P2 drones offering fast, tethered deliveries, while rivals like DoorDash are developing in-house drone capabilities and utilizing multiple external partners.
The industry's ability to achieve widespread scaling hinges on the FAA's finalization of Part 108, which would permit routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, despite ongoing safety concerns from traditional aviation groups.

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App- and web-based delivery platforms from Walmart, Amazon, DoorDash, and now Uber are embracing small drones to slash trip times in a trend that could reshape low-altitude U.S. airspace.

Uber on Monday announced it is partnering with drone manufacturer and operator Zipline, which is also a partner of Walmart and competitor Wonder, the parent company of Grubhub. By the end of 2029, Uber and Zipline hope to achieve a cadence of 1 million daily drone deliveries, with “goals to expand far beyond that.”